


Tomorrow There's Still Us

by SkyFireForever



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Cheating, F/M, Friendship, Henry Laurens' A+ Parenting, Historical Deaths, Infidelity, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Multi, Other, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reincarnation, Slow Burn, Trans Aaron Burr, Trans Alexander Hamilton, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-08-14 17:57:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16497464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyFireForever/pseuds/SkyFireForever
Summary: In a time where a select few have memories of their past lives, there’s doubt and speculation over if the phenomenon is even real. Alexander Hamilton knows better. He knows that his memories are real, even if those he cares most about don’t.Or: Another Hamilton Reincarnation AU





	1. Alexander Hamilton

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now edited.

_ The night was cold, freezing. Whipping winds and biting chill couldn’t be held completely at bay by the flimsy fabric of a tent and a few blankets. It was a burning cold that Alexander despised, but he couldn’t find it within himself to complain; not when he was here by choice, not when he was fighting for his own independence and freedom. Even as his stomach groaned in frustration at its emptiness, even as he shivered at the cold, he didn’t want to complain. _

_ He couldn’t find a reason to complain as he pressed his face into the warmth of the soldier laying beside him. He smiled to himself against Laurens’ freckles skin, listening to his friend’s gentle breathing. Laurens brought him all the warmth he needed to brave the harsh winter.  _

_ It was entirely possible that any moment, someone could come bursting into the tent, rousing Laurens from his sleep and catching the two of them laying closer than was proper for two men. They could be discovered at any time, but Alexander found himself not caring one bit. _

_ Washington already turned a blind eye to the activities that his men participated in once they retired to their own tents. He couldn’t afford to make a fuss, no matter his own views on the matter. He needed every soldier he could get, be them sodomites or not.  _

_ Alexander pressed his face closer against Laurens’ neck, thinking about the wife he’d left behind; about the wife and daughter Laurens had left behind. His darling Eliza’s bed surly felt colder than the cot Alexander shared with his Laurens. He missed his wife dearly; of course he did, but he still had no desire to abandon his darling boy _

_ He wasn’t willing to close his eyes lest he fell asleep. He wasn’t willing to let this moment go just yet. His eyelids eventually felt heavy despite his protests and he reluctantly allowed his eyes to drift shut, holding Laurens closer to him.  _

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Alex’s eyes fluttered open and he found himself alone in his bed. He reached towards the other side of his mattress, only to be met with empty air. He sighed and sat up, blinking at the harsh sunlight that filtered in through the blinds. He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to clear them of their early-morning blurriness, hating the loneliness of his New York apartment. He closed his eyes and tried to grasp at the memory in his dream. That was a long time ago; in another life. His Laurens was nowhere to be found now, along with his Eliza. 

He threw his blanket off of himself and swung his legs over the side of his matress, not bothering to tidy up or make his bed. He was the only person who ever set foot in his apartment, so he saw no reason to make it look presentable. He ignored the clutter in every corner, taking care to step wherever there was bare floor. He prepared himself for the job interview he had scheduled for that afternoon. Unemployment didn’t look good on him - he hated having nothing to busy himself with. He’d been fired from his last job a week and a half prior, after screaming at a racist customer. He supposed that there might have been better ways to handle the situation, but he didn’t believe a racist deserved a calmer response. 

He tied his hair up behind him, observing himself in the cracked mirror that hung above his bathroom sink. This was the first interview he’d managed to score with any real potential. A secretary to some politician was the most he could hope for at the time being. This was the best chance he had. He couldn’t afford to throw away his shot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments mean the world to me. I love feedback so much, so please leave some!


	2. Old Friends, Old Enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now edited.

The walk to the interview was largely uneventful. The air held a chill that bit at every inch of Alex’s exposed skin. He still hated the cold as much as he did in his first life. He was uncertain if it was a remainder from his previous life or if it was simply because this version of himself also wasn’t accustomed to colder weather. Either way, he despised it. As much as he loved living in New York, the winters still sucked beyond belief. 

Alex’s general rule was that if he could see his breath, it was too cold. He was reminded of this with every puff of air that escaped his lips. He made his way through the subway and across the city until he arrived in front of the building where his interview was to take place. He tried not to be nervous - he wasn’t usually the type to feel anxious about anything, but for some reason this got to him. It wasn’t dissimilar to how he had felt as he stood in front of Washington’s tent for the first time. 

He shook the feeling off and stepped inside, reveling in the warmth that blanketed him. He silently thanked everything holy for the invention of indoor heating. He loosened the scarf around his neck and approached the neatly organized desk before him. He leaned over the polished wood to smile at the receptionist who sat behind it. 

“I’m here for a job interview. Hamilton comma Alexander.” He introduced himself with a wide grin and drummed his fingers against the top of the desk impatiently. Patience had never been his strong suit, after all. 

The receptionist smiled politely and nodded, clearly already annoyed by him. “Yes, of course. Right this way, Mr. Hamilton.” She stood from her neat little desk and led him down a hallway, heels echoing against the tile floor. She opened a door decorated in a rather hideous shade of green that led to a small room with an armchair and a desk. “Please, have a seat.” The receptionist offered, gesturing towards the chair. 

Alex nodded and took a seat in the armchair, feeling himself sink into it. It was much too large for his small frame, so he sat up and moved so that he was perched on the very edge of the chair. “Thank you.” He told the receptionist, who simply smiled in a plastic manner. 

“Mr. Dandridge will be with you shortly.” She informed him before closing the door on her way out. 

Alex turned his attention to the room, wanting to get an idea of the scale. He was being interviewed to act as secretary to a Mr. Tyler Dandridge, a member of the city council who would almost certainly be running for governor during the next election. He was extremely well-liked by the public, and he kept his promises to the best of his ability. Alex wouldn’t mind working for him at all. 

His eyes wandered to the swivel chair that sat behind the desk and he glared at it, remembering that swivel chairs had been invented by none other than Thomas Jefferson. He’d made himself the mental promise to never use a swivel chair after learning this fact, no matter how much fun they were to spin around in.

He was snapped from his thoughts by the sound of the door opening and a rather tall and commanding figure stepping into the room. The man seemed to have leadership and confidence radiating off of him in waves. This was a man who could command a room full of people with conflicting opinions. Alex was certain of that. 

He quickly rose to his feet and stuck out his hand for the tall figure to shake. “Alexander Hamilton, sir.” He grasped Mr. Dandridge’s hand in his own and gave it a firm shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Mr. Dandridge looked Alex up and down before nodding. “And you as well.” He gestured to the chair where Alex had previously been sitting. “Please, have a seat.” He offered as he made his way around the desk to sit upon the swivel chair. “So, Mr. Hamilton,” He went through the papers that were stored in a folder he had brought with him. “What makes you interested in this position?” 

“I’ve always had an attachment to politics.” Alex spoke quickly, but somehow managed to enunciate each word. “And by always, I do mean always.” He explained. “I was kind of a big deal in my past life.” Alex held no restraint when it came to discussing his previous life, especially not when it gave him the upperhand in a discussion. A job interview seemed the absolute perfect time to bring up his past experience. “You will notice that I share my name with the first Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton?” He asked. “That’s not a coincidence. I legally changed my name back to my old one.” He explained in one breath, looking at Mr. Dandridge expectantly, fingers drumming rhythmically against his leg. He could never just sit still.

Mr. Dandridge simply looked amused. “‘So you believe in reincarnation?” He asked for confirmation. 

Alex gave a short and jerky nod. “I absolutely do, sir.” 

“I see.” Dandridge leaned back in his seat, eyeing Alex with a certain degree of amusement and interest. “If you were hired, you wouldn’t be the only member of my staff to believe such things.” 

“Only because it’s very much real, sir.” 

“You are very convinced of this.” Dandridge mused, looking thoughtful. “Well, let’s focus on your qualifications in this life, shall we?” He suggested, gesturing towards the resume in front of him.

Alex nodded, back as straight as a board. “Of course, sir.”

“Well, on your resume, it says here that-”

“Sir?” The door opened and a new figure stood in the doorway - a man seemingly of around Alex’s age, his face a perfect mask of calm detachment. It almost seemed as though he had no emotions at all. “I was told you wanted to see me?”

“Ah, yes.” Dandridge turned to look at the figure. “Not at this moment, Mr. Burr. I am currently indisposed.” He gestured to Alex pointedly, a slight edge of frustration in his voice. 

Alex was suddenly reminded of a rather similar scene. 

 

\-----------------------------------

 

_ “Sir, you wanted to see me?” Alexander stepped into the tent, hands behind his back and back straight as an arrow. He had to make a good impression on the leader of the continental army if he ever hoped to have a command of his own. _

_ “Hamilton, come in.” George Washington himself stood in the middle of the tent, waving Alexander forward. “Have you met Burr?” He gestured to a man that Alexander hadn’t noticed before. Aaron Burr himself, standing as cool and collected as ever.  _

_ “Yes, sir.” Alexander nodded, glancing at Burr. “We keep meeting.” He said at the same moment as Burr did. Their eyes met and Alexander couldn’t help but smirk.  _

_ “As I was saying,” Burr stepped forward to regain Washington’s attention. “I look forward to seeing your strategy play out.”  _

_ “Burr?” _

_ “Sir?” _

_ “Close the door on your way out.” _

 

_ \------------------------------ _

 

Alex was pulled back to the present when the door shut behind the man as he left. He stared at the empty space where he had stood. “Sorry, sir, but what did you just call that man?” He looked at Dandridge with wide eyes. There was no possible way it could really be who Alex thought it was. 

“That was Aaron Burr. He’s in charge of public relations.” Dandridge explained, waving the younger man off. “He is in a situation quite similar to yours, as I understand it: Believing in reincarnation and renaming himself in accordance to a previous life.”

Alex was unable to form words. He had lived his second life for twenty one years and only now did he meet the first person he recognized. 

Of course it had to be Burr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I update as I write and I write more when I have comments. ; ) So, the more comments I get, the faster I'll update!
> 
> I'm sure most of you can guess who Mr. Dandridge is, but you get bonus points if you can guess where i got his last name.


	3. Aaron Burr

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perspective changes shall apparently be a thing in this fic now. 
> 
> Now Edited.

Aaron Burr kept his thoughts to himself. It was the only sensible thing to do. Which is why it should come of no surprise to anyone that he kept his knowledge of his previous life relatively secret. The entire business of reincarnation was a controversial one and the last thing Aaron wanted was to be involved in controversy. Of course, a quick Google search of his name would bring up the history of the original Aaron Burr, the founding father who resulted in the death of Alexander Hamilton. If questioned on the matter, Aaron would smile and easily change the subject, usually attributing the happenstance of sharing a name with a founding father nothing more than coincidence. 

In truth, it was anything but. Aaron Burr in this life was born Molly Pierre, but that name never belonged to him. He was one of the select few with memories of his past and that was what he held on to. The name Molly was a foreign one as far as he was concerned, so when the time came for him to take a name that was truly his own, he didn’t see the point in searching for a new name when one already belonged to him; and so Molly Pierre was stricken from history and Aaron Pierre was born. 

He would have been fine with keeping the name Aaron Pierre as his own, had he not constantly gotten the name confused with his original. After years of mistakenly introducing himself as Aaron Burr, signing legal documents with the name, and overall being unable to distinguish between Burr and Pierre, he decided to make the change to his last name as well as his first.

Very few people knew that the shared name was more than coincidence, but one of those who did was Washington - or Tyler Dandridge, as he was known in this life. Of course, Dandridge was completely unaware of his past life as a military general and president of the United States, but it hadn’t taken Aaron longer than a week to recognize him. Everything about the man simply oozed the same strength and leadership as Washington. 

It wasn’t as if Washington was the only person Aaron recognized from his previous life; there were others. They all looked different, had different names, and so on. Most of them didn’t remember Aaron or if they did, they didn’t recognize him. He much preferred it that way.

It seemed, however, that his relative peace and obscurity was about to disappear in an explosive puff of smoke all due to one reason: Alexander Hamilton. Here. To ruin everything Aaron had worked for. Of course. 

Aaron pulled the door to Dandridge’s office shut tightly behind him. His teeth grinding together as he paced down the hall. What was Hamilton doing here? How had he manage to find the exact place where Aaron worked? There was no question of if he remembered his past, as he had taken his previous name just as Aaron had. Aaron could live a thousand lifetimes and to meet Hamilton in just the original would be far too many.

He walked down the hall and towards the main lobby, unable to get the thought of Hamilton out of his mind. It seemed that no matter where Aaron was, Hamilton was just on his heels. Like a cold that refused to go away no matter what medicines were used to treat it. Aaron found a large chair to throw himself down on. He closed his eyes and prayed that Hamilton would be gone upon opening them. 

He’d never been able to forget the bastard despite his numerous attempts. He would lay awake at night and remember how he had pointed his pistol at Hamilton’s chest. He would remember how cold his rival’s eyes had been behind his glasses. He would justify it by reminding himself again and again that if he hadn’t pulled the trigger, it would have been him who left his children without a father. 

Even now, he did not have a doubt in his mind that Hamilton would have shot him dead if he hadn’t struck first. That hadn’t been the time to wait. 

This new life had hardly been kind to him in any case. Life was lonely without his Theodosias. He had grown up poor and his family life had been rocky at best. He still had his intelligence and his patience, but it wasn’t the proper environment for his skills. He’d managed to work his way up and climb the ranks to become something at least, but head of public relations for some city council member wasn’t terribly impressive. He could hope that Dandridge had higher goals than just running for governor, but there wasn’t a guarantee that he would.

Aaron’s eyes slowly opened and he stared at the clock hanging above the receptionist’s desk, listening to the steady tick-tocking. He took a breath and wondered what he had done with his life, either of them. What had he truly contributed to anything at all? Why had he been brought back to remember? Was it a sort of divine punishment for his crimes? He didn’t know. He sighed and silently hoped that Hamilton wouldn’t be hired, knowing that he would simply because it as the opposite of what Aaron wanted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note: Aaron is probably the only trans character whose deadname you will learn. I'm largely against including trans characters' deadnames in works because it feels rather pointless and most trans people would largely rather forget their deadnames entirely. The only reason I included Aaron's is because it was important to the story.
> 
> Feedback means the world and more to me!


	4. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now Edited.

Alexander Hamilton was hired on the same day as his interview. Aaron wished he had been in the room to know how Hamilton had managed to win Dandridge over so quickly. He supposed that he should have seen it coming, with how Hamilton was simply given everything Aaron worked hard for. Aaron was currently avoiding the man, not looking forward to coming face to face with the man he had killed. 

A week had passed without Aaron running into Hamilton and for that he was grateful. He knew, logically, that he couldn’t avoid his newest coworker forever, but he wasn’t about to speed the process along. Aaron was currently sitting in central park with his closest (and only) friend as they shared a lunch. 

“Have you met our newest colleague?” Aaron asked, making his best attempt at sounding nonchalant. He leaned back and refused to make eye contact with the woman sitting across from him. 

“You mean Hamilton?” Rachel fixed Aaron with a look. “I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I’ve seen him around.” She said, not tearing her gaze away from him. “Have you?”

“No.” He answered shortly, studying his sandwich as if it was extremely interesting. 

Rachel rolled her eyes. “You’ll have to eventually. You can’t avoid him forever.” 

“Don’t remind me.” He mumbled. “What about you?” He rose his head to look at her. “Are you planning on avoiding him?”

Rachel scoffed. “You can’t get out of this by turning it on me.” She said matter-of-factly. “And no, I’m not avoiding him. Even if I was, I didn’t change my current name to my previous one.” She said pointedly. She continued before he had a chance to respond. “Not that I’m judging you for that. It will just take longer for him to recognize me than it will for you.” 

Aaron sighed. “I know that.” 

He knew that Hamilton was probably already aware of him. That was the price that came with sharing his name with his previous self; anyone who remembered him was sure to recognize him. Which was how he had became friends with Rachel. He had met her on his first day of working for Dandridge. The moment they had been introduced, she had smacked him so hard that he had been bruised for a week. Angelica Schuyler-Church had not been pleased with the man who had murdered her brother in-law. 

“Even if he did recognize you, he would be far more likely to kiss you than kill you.” Aaron pointed out, taking a long drink from his water bottle. “I don’t need to remind you that I caused his death.” 

Rachel sighed. “That doesn’t mean things can’t be forgiven.” She pushed her hair from her face. “I mean, look at us. I hated you when I first recognized you. I never thought I’d forgive you for what you did.” 

“That’s different.” He insisted. 

“How?”

“I didn’t kill you.”

“You killed my brother.”

“Brother in-law.”

“So? I still hated you.”

Aaron sighed and rubbed his temples. “It’s still different, Rachel.”

Rachel shrugged. “Maybe so, but are you seriously telling me that you don’t want the chance to make amends?”

Aaron looked at Rachel like she had completely lost her mind. “Make amends?” He laughed humorlessly and shook his head. “I absolutely have no desire to befriend him, Rachel. I would be perfectly happy to never even speak to him again. He ruins everything for me.” 

“Oh my God.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “Are you still blaming him for everything you did wrong?” 

“I blame him for ruining my career.” Aaron said stubbornly. 

“Oh, get over yourself, Aaron.” Rachel snapped. “You killed the guy. You both died. Can’t you give it a rest?”

Aaron glared at his friend. He couldn’t expect her to understand, but the worst part was that she had a point. “What would I even say to him if I did talk to him?”

“Apologize?” Rachel suggested. “You know, “I’m sorry for killing you” would be a pretty great place to start.” 

Aaron couldn’t help the slight quirk of his lips at that. “Yes, because that’s such an easy thing to say.”

Rachel shrugged. “It’s better than nothing.” 

“Is it really?” 

“Look,” She grabbed his hand and made him look at her. “You don’t have a choice. You work with him.” She looked into his eyes “You will have to speak to him eventually. If you don’t make it on your terms, it will be on his.” 

Aaron opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by a familiar voice. 

“Aaron Burr, sir.” Aaron didn’t look up as Alexander Hamilton himself approached them. He looked at Rachel with pleading eyes, completely unprepared for this interaction. Hamilton stood behind him and poked him in the back of the head when he didn’t receive a reply. “At a loss for words, sir?”

Aaron closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. “Mr. Hamilton.” He said stiffly. “May I be of service?” 

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m not particularly in need of a bullet inside of me at the moment.” Hamilton replied with snark in his voice, making Aaron wince. 

“I would assume not.” Aaron fought to keep his voice level. “I am not in the habit of offering such things.” 

Hamilton scoffed. “Oh, you could have fooled me.” He walked around Aaron so he was standing in front of him with his arms crossed. “I have been on the receiving end of such a thing from you.”

“How unfortunate.” Aaron’s jaw clenched. He wanted nothing more than to stand up and punch Hamilton in his stupid face. 

“”How unfortunate”.” Hamilton mocked. “Is that all you have to say?” He snapped, snarling at him like a rabid dog. “Do you have nothing to say for yourself?” He looked down at Rachel. “Too afraid of incriminating yourself in front of your girlfriend?” He sneered. 

Aaron sighed and slowly stood up, dusting himself off. “Is there a point to this, Hamilton?” 

“A point?” Hamilton sounded pissed. “The point is that you killed me!” 

“Yes.” Aaron saw no point in denying that. He wouldn’t be fooling anyone. 

“And all you have to say is “how unfortunate”?!” 

“Yes. Is there something more you’d like me to say?” Aaron asked, feeling exhausted by the entire situation. 

Hamilton seemed to be stumped by that. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, hands balled into fists at his sides. “You killed me! You ended my life!”

“You agreed to the duel.” Aaron said calmly. “You knew what you agreed to.” 

Hamilton glared. “That doesn’t mean I wanted to die!” 

“Then you should not have agreed.” Aaron countered coldly. “If that is all, Mr. Hamilton, I shall see you at work.” He offered Rachel his hand and helped her to her feet. 

“You don’t get to just walk away!” Hamilton protested, chasing after both of them.

Aaron sighed. “Nothing either of us say will change the history of what happened.” He said, struggling to keep calm. “I shot you. You died. It is done.”

“That doesn’t mean-”

“Drop it, Alexander.” Rachel stepped in front of the two of them and stared Hamilton down. “You have every right to be upset, but Aaron is right. You can’t change it.”

“Oh, and who exactly are you?” Hamilton snarled.

Rachel just fixed him with a look. “I’ll see you at work, Alexander.” She took Aaron’s hand and led him away, leaving Hamilton behind them. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment!


	5. Angelica Schuyler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now Edited.

Rachel Phillips was a member of a supposedly small percentage of the population with full memories of a previous life. She said supposedly simply because she was well aware of several people who also carried their memories. That was not to say that everyone she recognized from her life as Angelica Schuyler-Church had the same clarity of memories that Rachel had. Her beloved Eliza; for example, was comprised of far more Emberly Lang than Elizabeth Schuyler. She had nothing more than scattered fragments of memories. Rachel hardly minded, as Emberly was every bit as sweet, kind, and understanding as her sister had been. 

Rachel was thankful for how far the progression of women’s rights had come in the centuries since her death. It allowed her to speak her mind as it concerned politics without the public scrutiny she would have received in her previous life. Well, less scrutiny in any case. 

Rachel had goals. Goals that she wasn’t planning on giving up on any time soon. Rachel was a career woman, of that she was certain. She was lucky enough to have friends who supported her in this. 

Aaron Burr had somehow become one of her closest friends and it was still completely unclear as to how that happened. She found that she didn’t regret it; however, as he was always the first to support her as well as the first to inform her of any mistakes she had made. He was frequently by her side with a word of advice or warning. His hesitance could be downright obnoxious at times, but it was something Rachel had learned to live with. 

She had also been lucky enough to find two of her sisters from her past life. Her darling Eliza had been reborn as a warm-hearted social worker named Emberly and Peggy had found herself as an enthusiastic young actress named Meghan. Neither of them had the complete memories that Rachel did, but they remembered enough to recognize their sister. For that, Rachel was grateful. 

Rachel was still coming to terms with the fact that Alexander Hamilton was back in her life, with all of his memories. He still didn’t seem to have recognized her and she wasn’t entirely sure if she should be offended or not. It was true that she looked completely different, as if her change in ethnicity and skin color wasn’t a clear indication of that, but both Aaron and Alexander had changed at least as much. 

She sighed as she climbed the several steps to the apartment at the top floor. As much as she loved how she looked in heels, stairs made her wish that she didn’t have feet at all. She pushed open the door as soon as she unlocked it and took several strides to the couch, plopping down without any grace. 

“That bad of a day?” Meghan poked her head out of the kitchen, walking towards the front door to close it. She sat beside her sister, dressed in little more than a tank top and pajama pants. “Spill.” 

Rachel groaned. “Do I have to?” She whined petulantly as Meghan began to pour out two glasses of red wine. 

“You wouldn’t have come over if you didn’t want to bitch about something.” Meghan said knowingly, holding a glass out for Rachel. 

She couldn’t deny that. “You got me there.” She admitted, accepting the wine and draining most of it in one gulp. “Someone from my past showed up last week and I forgot how obnoxious he was.”

“From your past?” Meghan asked curiously, eyebrow raised. “As in…”

“As in from Angelica’s past, yes.” Rachel confirmed. “And he apparently remembers just as much as I do. That makes two other people I know who are part of this apparently super rare part of the population.” 

Meghan shrugged. “Who was he?” She asked eagerly. She had always been so curious about the past lives, which Rachel found interesting, considering that she was the one who remembered the least out of the sisters. “Did I know him?” 

Rachel shook her head. “Not well.” She said carefully. She didn’t want to say that it was Eliza’s husband, as Meghan couldn’t keep a secret to save her life and Rachel wasn’t ready for Emberly to know. 

“Shame.” Meghan sighed wistfully. “Maybe I could have talked some sense into him.”

Rachel snorted at that. “I don’t think anyone could talk sense into that man.” She shook her head. “He’s immune to it.” She took a smaller sip from her glass.

Meghan laughed. “Well, what has he said to you?” 

“Not much. I don’t think he recognizes me.” Rachel admitted with a vague shrug as she finished her wine. “I just have to work with him and I’m already exhausted by the concept.” 

“Maybe Aaron could help.” Meghan suggested, a sly smirk on her face. “He always seems to be able to help you with your problems.” 

Rachel fixed her sister with a pointed look. “We’ve been over this.” She said firmly. 

“I don’t remember a conversation about you refusing help from your good friend.” Meghan insisted innocently, even though Rachel was well aware that she was anything but. 

“I’m not interested in Aaron, no matter how hard you try to get me to admit otherwise.” 

“I never implied otherwise!” Meghan protested, a hand to her heart. “I just think that he usually provides you with an outside opinion that usually helps.” 

Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes. “Well, he’s not exactly much help in this situation.” She admitted as she sunk further into the couch. “He and Al- this person don’t exactly get along.” She caught herself from slipping up and revealing Alexander’s name. 

Meghan pouted. “Well, maybe you should talk to this guy, then.” She suggested with a wave of her hand. “Convince him to not be a shit. You can be pretty convincing when you want to be.” 

Rachel smiled to herself. “Oh, I know.” She smirked, remembering a time when her words had been particularly effective against Alexander. 

 

\------------------------------------------

 

_ “You’ve invented a new kind of stupid.” Angelica stormed into Alexander’s office, her lips pressed into a thin line. She was practically shaking with rage. She couldn’t remember a time in her life in which she had felt this degree of pure anger. She couldn’t believe what Alexander had done. To have an affair was one thing, one completely awful and disgusting thing, but to publish it - to drag not only his name, but his wife’s through the mud - that was completely different and somehow so much worse.  _

 

_ Alexander looked up from his desk, turning to face Angelica. A look of pure relief spread across his face and he stood. “Angelica.” He reached for her, but she put up a hand to stop him from touching her.  _

 

_ “Don’t.” She warned, voice cold and calm, barely containing an inferno of anger.  _

 

_ Alexander’s face fell, looking confused and hurt. “Angelica, I-” _

 

_ “Don’t say a word.” Angelica cut him off, glaring into his eyes. She wouldn’t let his excuses get to her. She couldn’t. As she stared at him, all she thought of was how her sister had cried into her arms, how this man had hurt Eliza so deeply. “You have nothing more to say.” _

 

_ Alexander, as frustrating as ever, continued to speak and babble despite her warnings. “Angelica, it was an act of political sacrifice.”  _

 

_ “Sacrifice?” Angelica felt a surge of anger coarse through her. “Sacrifice?! You think you get to sacrifice my sister’s happiness?!” She slapped him across the face in a fit of pure rage. “You are not permitted to sacrifice that which does not belong to you!” She hissed coldly, delighting in how Alexander’s eyes blew wide and his hand reached to cup his cheek. She breathed heavily and didn’t back down as Alexander attempted to make himself look smaller. “Your sacrifice means nothing to me.” She said coldly. “You are no longer permitted to make any further sacrifices unless they are for my sister.” She grabbed him by the collar. “Do. You. Understand. Me?” _

 

_ He nodded quickly, finally at a loss for words. Angelica reluctantly released him before storming out, leaving him in his office alone. _

 

\---------------------------------------

 

“I’ll speak to him.” Rachel agreed. “Eventually.” She leaned back and smiled at her sister. “I think I’ll keep him at a distance for now.” She decided, pouring another glass of wine. “Cheers.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback makes my day!


	6. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now Edited.

Rachel walked into the office with a brisk pace in her step. Her hair was tied neatly behind her and her face was a mask of calm. She strode directly to Alex’s desk and stood in front of it, arms crossed. 

Alex looked up, seemingly confused as to what she was doing there. “Can I...help you?” 

“You can.” Rachel said flatly, placing one hand on his desk and the other on her hip. “You can help everyone by realizing that things are different now, Alexander. You can’t keep yourself in the past. People have changed. You have a job to do.” 

Alex blinked, looking rather surprised. “Do I know you?” He studied her face as if trying to place her. He looked almost intimidated and Rachel would by lying if she claimed that it didn’t give her a feeling of satisfaction. 

Rachel smirked. “We are coworkers, Alexander. I expect you to treat everyone in this office with professional dignity.” She backed away from his desk, giving him a firm look. “Understand?”

Alex just stared, not letting his gaze leave her face. “Who are you?” He stood up and grabbed her wrist from across the desk. “I knew you. Who were you?” 

Rachel tugged her arm free and gave Alexander a look. “Watch yourself.” She warned before turning her back on him and walking to her own desk. She had a job to do. She wasn’t about to let Alexander Hamilton get in her way. 

The next few days passed in relative peace. Alex seemed content to stay out of the way of both her and Aaron for the time being. She should have known that it wouldn’t last. It happened just as she and Aaron were gathering their things to leave on the following Friday. Rachel had her bag thrown over her shoulder, carrying a conversation with Aaron as Alex walked over with the largest shit-eating grin on his face. 

“Hello, Burr, sir.” He greeted, to which Aaron just rolled his eyes and looked away. Alex turned his attention to Rachel. “Angelica.” He let the name roll off his tongue. He looked pleased with himself, like a cat that had gotten into the milk. 

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Am I supposed to be impressed?” She cocked an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms. 

Alex seemed unsure of how to respond, deflating slightly. “Well, I-” He stumbled over his words slightly. “I know who you are.” He said defensively. 

“Yeah, after like two weeks.” Rachel enjoyed watching him squirm. “It wasn’t exactly a secret.” 

“I bet Burr didn’t know!” Alex argued. 

Rachel snorted. “Honey, he figured it out the day we met.”

“To be fair, you told me.” Aaron pointed out. “After slapping me in the face.” He sounded strangely smug about that. 

“Either way.” Rachel waved him off. “My point still stands.”

Alex’s eyes darted between Aaron and Rachel. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, sounding like a wounded dog.

Rachel shrugged. “You didn’t need to know and you didn’t ask.”

“What, and Burr did?” He sounded so upset, almost betrayed. “Why are you siding with the man who murdered me?” 

“I’m not siding with anyone!” Rachel exclaimed, honestly exhausted by Alex. “I’m not siding with anyone because there isn’t anything to side with anyone on. There is no disagreement.” 

Alex opened his mouth, surely ready to reply with some sort of angry retort, but Rachel shook her head. He balled his hands into fists and shook his head. “Fine. Fine, whatever. I just don’t understand why you couldn’t have told me. I’ve missed you.” He looked at her with eyes full of sadness and longing. She couldn’t help the pang of guilt that stabbed her in the gut.

She stepped closer and wrapped him into a hug. “It’s good to see you again, Alexander.” She said softly. “It’s just that working with you and being your sister present very different challenges.” She chuckled quietly. She released him from the hug and smiled at him. 

Alex grinned, appearing satisfied. “I don’t doubt that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Damn, Angie. You look good. Really good.” He beamed at her. “So, considering that we are in a different life, are you-”

“Alexander Hamilton, I swear to God if you ask me out, I will slap you.” Rachel warned, sending him a deadly glare. Alex just laughed and waved her off. 

“Well, no shame in trying.” He put his hands in his pockets. “In any case, do you want to go to dinner? Just so we can catch up. I want to learn more about Rachel and see how different she is from Angelica.”  

“I’ll think about it.” Rachel replied with a smirk. “We’ll see how well you behave yourself at work.” 

Alex made a face. “You act like I don’t behave!” 

“Only because you don’t.”

“I do too!”

“Oh my God, I work with children.” Aaron shook his head, voice laced with exhaustion. 

Rachel laughed. “I’ll tell you what, if you can behave yourself in front of Aaron for the next week, you can come out with some of my friends. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like a deal. Angelica Schuyler.” Alexander beamed, taking her hand in his own and kissing the back of it. 

Rachel smiled and tried to ignore how her heart beat faster in her chest. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments!


	7. Meetings and Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far my favorite chapter that I've written so far. I hope that you enjoy.

Alexander had been on his best behavior for the past week. He even treated Burr with some level of civility, though it was usually laced with sarcasm. He tried to at least behave himself around Angelica. (Rachel, he reminded himself, her name was Rachel now.) He apparently did a good enough job that he was invited to go drinking with her and a few of her friends after work on Friday. 

He tried to hide how excited he was. He wondered if anyone else he knew would be there. Eliza popped into his thoughts, but she never really left them. He had no idea if Eliza had even been reborn, much less if Rachel knew her. He hoped that he would find her. He missed her greatly. 

Alex had been sure to dress nicely for work that day, keeping his hair tied in a neat ponytail behind him. He sped through his work for the day, barely paying attention to what he was doing. He was certain that he did it well enough. He always did. 

When the day finally ended, he hopped up and made his way to Rachel’s desk, grinning from ear to ear. “Ready to go?” He asked, practically buzzing with energy. He bounced lightly on the souls of his feet, needing to be in motion. 

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Yeah, come on. Don’t make a fool out of yourself.” She warned, gathering her things. She looked across her desk at Burr. “You coming tonight, Aaron?”

Burr shook his head. “Not tonight.” He said apologetically. Alexander had no doubt that the only reason Burr wasn’t going was because he didn’t want to be around him. Not that Alex was complaining in the least. He’d much rather Burr not be there. 

Rachel nodded. “Alright. I’ll see you on Monday.” She waved him goodbye with a good-natured smile. She turned back to Alexander and motioned for him to follow her. They walked in silence for a few blocks before arriving in front of a bar Alex had never visited before. She held the door open for him as he walked inside. 

The bar was dimly lit and fairly packed, full of patrons ready to spend their paychecks on a good time. Faint piano music could be heard playing amongst the pleasant chatter that filled the building. It had an air of warmth to it that Alexander basked in. He grinned, looking around for anyone who looked like they could be friends with Rachel. 

“Rachel! Over here!” Alex was shocked when a rather large man wearing a white beanie waved them over from where he sat at the bar. The guy was huge, especially when compared to Alex. He had a grin that seemed to stretch his whole face open, as well as a light Irish accent. 

Alexander hurried over, not even checking to see if Rachel was following. He grinned up at the large man, who was taller than him even while perched on a barstool. He stuck his hand out. “Hello.” He greeted enthusiastically. “My name is Alexander Hamilton. I’m a friend of Rachel’s.” He introduced, taking the man off guard. He scanned his face for any hint of recognition.

The man looked taken aback for just a moment before laughing and shaking Alex’s hand. “Connor Cooke.” He beamed. “I like your style. Abrupt.” He grinned, looking over Alex’s shoulder at Rachel. “Where did you find this one?” He whooped. 

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Work.” She said shortly, sliding onto the stool beside Connor. 

“Ooh, dating a coworker.” Connor wiggled his eyebrows. “Risky.” He smirked. 

“We’re not dating.” Rachel insisted firmly, ordering herself a drink. “He’s just the new guy. Thought I’d show him the best place for drinks.” She took a sip from her beer as it was given to her. “Where’s everyone else?” She looked around.

“Maxie’s stuck in traffic and Jack had to work late.” He explained. “I dunno about Meghan. Knowing her, she probably forgot and will be rushing in an hour late.” He laughed, a laugh which Rachel partook in. “What about Aaron? Is he not coming?” 

Rachel shook her head. “Not tonight, I’m afraid.” She said without explanation as to why. “How’s work?”

Connor groaned and shook his head. “You know the rules, Ray.” He elbowed her playfully. “No talking about work when we’re here to have fun. Work talk isn’t very relaxing.”

“Okay, okay.” Rachel put her hands up in surrender. She glanced back at Alex. “You’ve been awfully quiet. That usually means that you’re up to something.”

“Hey!” Alex crossed his arms with a pout. “I’m just thinking.” He insisted. It was true. There was something about Connor that filled Alex with warmth, a sort of glow that came with seeing an old friend for the first time in a long while. Connor had to have known him before. Alex was certain of it. He just wasn’t certain who he could have been.

“Nuh-uh.” Connor shook his head, throwing a large arm around Alex’s shoulders. “No thinking allowed.” He said sternly, looking into his eyes. “These are night for relaxing and cutting loose.” He shoved his own drink into Alexander’s hands. “Which means drinking.” 

Alex laughed. “Alright, alright.” He waved him off, feeling remarkably at ease around him. He took a large gulp from Connor’s glass before sputtering and coughing as the man laughed loudly. “Jesus, what’s  _ in  _ this?” He stared at the glass as if it had said something horribly offensive. 

“Not one for the harder stuff, huh?” Connor chuckled, taking the glass back. “Should’ve known. You look like a lightweight.” He teased, already comfortable with bantering. 

“I am not!” Alex insisted, even though he absolutely was. He didn’t know a single person who couldn’t drink him under the table. 

Connor chuckled. “Sure, buddy.” He patted him on the back, but winked to show that he was not at all convinced. 

Alex pouted and grumbled his complaints under his breath before ordering something much lighter for himself. He felt relaxed and happy, bantering with both Connor and Rachel, relishing in his loud taunts and her sharp wit. He had just begun to forget that the three of them weren’t supposed to be alone when the crowd parted behind them. 

“Pardon! Pardon!” A voice called out in a rather thick French accent. Alex turned around to see a tall figure approaching them. “I am so sorry that I am late. Traffic was awful.” He apologized profusely to Rachel and Alexander couldn’t help but to stare. The man was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome, with tightly strung curls pulled back in a ponytail that revealed his sharp jaw and striking face. He was downright one of the hottest people Alexander had ever seen. 

“No, it’s alright.” Rachel assured, smiling up at the man. “You have nothing to apologize for.” 

“Merci, merci.” The man hugged Rachel tightly. “You look as beautiful as ever, mon cher.” He complimented, the words sounding like honey when dripping from his lips. “Absolutely gorgeous as always.”

Rachel laughed, the faintest of blushes on her cheeks. “You’re too kind.” She smiled. “Oh, Maxie, this is Alexander,” She gestured over to him. “He’s a friend of mine from work.”

The man (Maxie?) turned around to look at Alex and his face lit up. “It is a pleasure!” He reached for Alexander’s hand and once he received it, tenderly kissed the back of it. “Ah, allow me to introduce myself. I am Maxime Montier.” He announced with a flourish, bowing ever so slightly. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Alexander.”

Alex couldn’t take his eyes off of him. “And you as well.” He said smoothly. “Quite a pleasure.” He smirked, hoping that Maxime would notice the suggestion in his voice. 

He returned the smirk and did not release Alexander’s hand. “I am certain we shall take part in many pleasurable experiences together, non?” His voice was absolutely dripping in innuendo as he stepped even closer to Alex, peering into his eyes.

Rachel cleared her throat loudly, causing Maxime to turn his attention away from Alexander. “Maxie, you haven’t ordered anything.” She said sharply, giving him a look. “You know the rules.”

“Drink!” Connor supplied loudly, shoving a drink into Maxime’s hands before he could protest. The frenchman simply laughed and complied, taking a swig from whatever horrendous drink that Connor was having without flinching. 

“Merci, mon amie.” He laughed, leaning to lean against the bar between Alex and Connor, ordering something for himself. He looked back at Alex with a bright smile. “Tell me about yourself.” 

Alex laughed awkwardly. “What do you want to know?” 

“Everything.” Maxime said decidedly. “Your family. We shall start there.” 

“Oh, well.” Alex shifted. He was saved from having to say anything further by a short girl skipping up to the bar.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” She squealed. “I completely forgot!”

Connor laughed loudly, giving Rachel a look as she rolled her eyes. “It’s alright, Meghan.” She assured. “You haven’t missed anything. Emberly and Jack aren’t here yet either.”

“Oh, they’re not?” She looked relieved. “Good. I’d hate to miss anything!” She grinned, looking over at Alex. “Ooh, is this him?” She asked, tugging at Rachel’s sleeve. “That coworker who was causing you trouble?”

Before Alex could get offended, Rachel responded. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

The girl beamed. “Hello! My name is Meghan Rensselaer, but you probably knew me as Peggy Schuyler.” She stuck her hand out. “Or you might have. Angie has refused to tell me who you are.” She made a dramatic face.

Alexander was taken aback by how upfront Meghan was. He didn’t know many people who led with their past life apart from himself. “Alexander Hamilton.” He shook her hand, noting how different she seemed from the Peggy he had briefly known. 

Her eyes went wide. “Alexander Hamilton? As in  _ the  _ Alexander Hamilton?” She asked, looking at Rachel. “As in Emberly’s husband?”

Alex felt his heart jump into his stomach. Emberly. That must mean Eliza. His Eliza was here and they knew her. He looked at Rachel, opening his mouth to ask her how she could possibly keep this from him, when he was cut off by a voice from behind him.

“Sorry we’re late.” A young woman with dark hair and pale skin came walking over, wearing a beautiful blue dress. “Oh wow, we even came after Meghan, we must be super late.” She laughed as the girl in question rolled her eyes. She hugged Rachel tightly before doing the same to Meghan. She looked at Alexander as if noticing him for the first time. “Oh, who’s this?” 

Meghan risked a glance to Rachel, who gave her the most menacing look of warning that Alexander had ever seen on her. “Oh, this is Angie’s friend from work.” She said quickly.

“Oh, hello!” The woman waved just as a man walked forward, about the same height as Alex, with long, curly hair and freckles covering every inch of skin that Alex could see. “My name is Emberly Lang and this is my husband."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, things are finally getting interesting!! Feedback makes my world go round and ask if you have any questions at all as it concerns the identities of characters and things like that. I don't want to leave anyone confused!


	8. Marriage and More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what's baaack. It's this fic. I edited the previous chapters as well!

Husband. Eliza was  _ married  _ and it wasn’t to Alex. How could she be married? He felt his head spin and his heart sink. He forced a strained smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He forced out, offering his hand to shake. “My name is Alex.” It was the first time he hadn’t introduced himself with his full name. He couldn’t, not with her. 

“Nice to meet you, Alex.” Emberly shook his hand with a kind smile. She put a hand on her husband’s arm. “This is my husband, Jack.” She introduced. 

“Hey.” Jack flashed a piece sign, eyes lingering on Alex’s face. “It’s always good to see a new face.” He grinned, glancing over at Rachel. “You always get the pretty ones.” 

Rachel fixed Jack with a look that immediately had his face turning red. “Keep your eyes on your wife, hotshot.” She warned, making a gesture for him to turn around. 

Jack flushed. “I’m not gay.” He mumbled, making his way to the bar to order himself a drink. 

Rachel sighed heavily, gaze not leaving Jack. She glanced back at Emberly, who looked hurt. Rachel quickly spoke to pull her sister out of her thoughts. “So, how was your day, Em?” She asked, gesturing for her to sit beside her. 

Emberly smiled, thankful for her sister as she sat beside her. “Good! A bit boring, but good. You?”

“Work is tedious.” Rachel shrugged. “But we can’t talk about that, I  _ know.”  _ She said before Connor could make a comment. He didn’t seem to mind, though, as he was happily speaking with Maxime about something or other, dragging Jack into the conversation. Alexander couldn’t stop staring at them. Not only were they attractive, but he was certain that he knew them and that they had known each other. They just fit together in a particular way. He zoned out, trying to place who they were. He completely forgot to listen in on Rachel and Emberly’s conversation. 

“Alex? Alex?” He jumped, looking back at the women with a confused expression. 

“Huh?”

“I was wondering if you were married.” Emberly explained, appearing amused by how Alex had lost sight of reality. “I was curious.” 

“Oh!” Alex quickly looked away, staring down at his beverage. “No.” He said shortly, not knowing how to explain to his wife that he used to be married to her. “Might I be excused for a moment?” He requested, standing from his stool. 

“Oh, of course.” Emberly nodded, glancing at Rachel, who was watching Alexander in concern. 

“Thank you.” Alex forced a smile before exiting to the bathroom. He walked into the single-person bathroom and locked the door. Emberly. Eliza. His Eliza was so close to him and yet she was so far. He closed his eyes and leaned against the sink heavily. He pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket along with a pen. He always kept them on his person. He wrote down “Rachel = Angelica,” his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he focused. 

He thought of the others. Who else could be who? Dandridge. Strong, commanding, stern. Who could he be? His eyes widened as he realized: Washington! Obviously. How could he have not seen it? “Dandridge = Washington,” he scribbled down. He thought of Maxime, the French accent, the flirtatious attitude. It was obvious when he thought of it. “Maxime = Lafayette,” he scrawled across the page. He thought of Connor. He couldn’t place him, not yet, nor could he place Jack. Those two had him stumped. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock at the door. “Someone’s in here!” He called, trying to concentrate. The knocking continued. “I said-”

“Alexander?” Rachel’s voice came from behind the door. He sighed and unlocked it, pulling it open. “We need to talk.” She stood before him, worrying on the inside of her cheek. “In private. This seems as private a place as any.” She stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. 

“Talk?” Alexander blinked. “About what?” He felt anxiety rising in his throat. When someone needed to talk, it was rarely about a positive subject. He rocked back on his heels nervously. 

Rachel nodded, taking a deep breath. “Emberly loves her husband,” She began. “She adores him. She’s been head-over-heels for him since the day they met.” 

“Oh.” Why was she telling him this? “I wasn’t going to try and steal her.” He said, hurt by what he viewed as an accusation. “I wouldn’t do that to her. I want her to be happy.” He looked at Rachel. “You know that.” 

Rachel shook her head hurriedly. “No, no. I know that. I know.” She assured. “That’s not what I meant.” She ran a hand through her curls in agitation. “The problem is that Jack doesn’t love her back.”

“What? Why would she marry a man who doesn’t love her?” Alex questioned, not understanding. “Why would he marry a woman he doesn’t love?”   


Rachel sighed deeply, leaning against the bathroom wall. “She doesn’t know.” She explained quietly. “He’s gay, Alex. He’s not attracted to women. He’s just in denial about it.”

“How do you know?” This was a suspicious amount of information for Rachel to know. He didn’t understand why she was telling him. 

“Jack and Maxime have been sleeping together for years.” She explained. “Jack is falling for him. It’s obvious to anyone who doesn’t want to not see. Emberly doesn’t want to see it, so she doesn’t.” 

Alexander stared. “And why are you telling me all of this?”

“Because you have the right to know.” Rachel said. “She was your wife, you deserve to know.” She looked down. “You can’t tell her, though. She’s still happy in this lie, even if that’s what it is.” She fidgeted. “Her happiness is what is important.”

Alex swallowed. “But I could make her happy. Happier than this guy can.”

“Alexander.” Rachel warned. “Don’t. Please.” She begged. “Let her be happy while she can be.” She moved to exit. “If you care about her, keep quiet.” She left, leaving him alone in the bathroom. 

Alex stood on his own, staring at the door. Eliza’s husband was gay. Who did he know from before that was- Oh. His eyes widened and he gasped aloud. “Laurens.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are what keep me coming back to fics. Please, please comment with feedback! It helps me improve so much as an author! 
> 
> In case anyone is in need of a reminder:   
> Alexander Hamilton = Alexander Hamilton   
> Aaron Burr/Molly Pierre = Aaron Burr  
> Tyler Dandridge = George Washington   
> Emberly Lang = Elizabeth Schuyler   
> Rachel Phillips = Angelica Schuyler  
> Meghan Rensselaer = Peggy Schuyler   
> Maxime Montier = Lafayette   
> Connor Cooke = Hercules Mulligan   
> Jack Henry = John Laurens


End file.
